These words are accompanied by an image of chaos — the legs of the human family members have caught him in a compromising position, tangled up all of his stolen gear. Here it looks like Slinky has been fighting with the stolen goods themselves; he is tangled up in wool and has a glove on his head. You could argue that the main opponent in this story are the alluring goods that he can’t help but steal. The items are almost personified.

Lynley Dodd, too, has created a cast of cat characters which closely align to the cat characters typecast by T.S. Eliot. You’ve got Growltiger with Scarface Claw — the other main cat, and a wonderful nemesis for Hairy. Slinky Malinki is, of course, a modern Criminal, related to the Macavity (who sneaks about) and Mungojerry (who plans naughty things) from T.S. Eliot. The book is written for pre-school children, with rhythmic, rhyming text. It has become a best-selling bedtime storybook in New Zealand. Added Alliterative Appeal: Lots of picture book authors make use of alliterative names, but Lynley Dodd’s names would have to have some of the best mouthfeel in the biz. They’re more like Awesome McCool Names. RELATEDThe illustrations make use of classically horrific line work, with the kink in the tail and the spindly branches on the trees. Even the native New Zealand flax seems sinister as it looks as if it might reach out and grab any passerby. The Moon Told in rhyme, this is the story of Slinky Malinki, a cheeky and friendly cat by day, a master pilferer by night. Children will learn about rhythm and rhyme as they follow the hilarious antics of this rapscallion cat. The rich vocabulary of this book broadens its spectrum making it accessible to a larger audience. The hilarious illustrations will charm its audience. This book is entertaining and interactive with plenty of repetition to anticipate and join in with. This thieving is a habitual thing rather than a once-off, so I’d say his ‘habit’ is to wait until nightfall when all the humans are asleep, then break into people’s homes and drag stolen items to a hidden place at his owners’. Big Struggle Here we have a startled teddy bear face to contrast with Slinky’s malevolent eyes. The bear seems to be looking at the reader for help. Anagnorisis

a b c L.R. (29 January 2014). "Slinky Malinki, Early Bird". New Zealand Doctor: 27. ISSN 1176-5631. Criminal cats are not a fantastic invention for the sake of literature, either. The siamese breed in particular is smart, and some of them seem to have evolved a collecting instinct, much like a butcher bird. There is an unseen opponent in this story — young readers know that Slinky is not supposed to be taking those things, and that the things belong to people. For the reader, the opponents are the owners of the stolen items, who will get him into trouble if he is caught. For Slinky, his opponent is probably some unseen creature of the night. Slinky is an adrenalin junkie. Plan Because we all know a cat or two, cat stories tend to take place at night, when cats are most active. LANGUAGE OF SLINKY MALINKI Tonkinese cats can be ‘quite obsessive’ too, and here’s one who has a penchant for male underwear.(Tonkinese are a Siamese-Burmese cross.) There must be quite a history of cats thieving, or at least lurking about looking like they’re thieving: consider the English word ‘cat-burglar’.A striking marmalade tabby, Butterball Brown is very proud of his appearance – possibly because doting Grandma always tells him that he’s handsome. While he likes to keep himself neat, he’s certainly not a lazy cat and never misses a night-time adventure with his friends. During the day, he’s often found grooming himself in a sunny, open spot, positioned so that he’s viewed to maximum advantage. He also likes to lurk in the shade of a bush or up in a tree, his owlish eyes glowing. But even when he’s napping, he’ll keep an eye half open – just in case he misses out on some action. More picture books than you might think start with the horror genre and modify the symbolism and tropes for little kids. Stories which manage to achieve this are surprisingly popular. Kids love happenings that take place at night — this is an opportunity for the carnivalesque. The horror genre is really great for making use of symbol, because it is one of the most highly symbolic genres (along with Westerns and sci-fi, which are less common in picture books.)